At present, visually impaired people’s access to film culture is not easy. Most films are not audio-described and few cinemas are equipped to show them. But in Romania, the Association for the Promotion of Romanian Film, in partnership with the Cartea Călătoare Foundation, is organizing the first national film festival for people with visual impairments in Bucharest from May 15th to 19th. One of the festival’s aims is to encourage the distribution and promotion of films with audio description for the blind or visually impaired. For five days films using audio description will be screened at the Cinema Elvira Popescu and the Cinema Muzeul Taranului, with earphones handed out before the screening. The scheduled films include Radu Jude’s “Aferim!” which in February received the Silver Bear for Best Director at the Berlinale, two films by Călin Peter Netzer: “Medal of Honour” and “The Child’s Position” (Golden Bear at the 2013 Berlinale), and Cristian Mungiu’s “Beyond the Hills”.
Sources: fnfn.ro et romania-insider.com
